Mindset & Menopause ~ Reframe
part 4 learning to observe, reflect and adjust
So, what is mindset anyway?
An established set of attitudes held by someone. Oxford English Dictionary
A mental attitude or inclination. Merriam Webster
A person’s way of thinking and their opinions. Cambridge Dictionary
Our mindsets are shaped by personal factors, such as personality traits, and fed by social and environmental factors. Specifically, when referring to menopause, until the recent past, it has been brushed under the rug. In the Western world, from ancient and medieval times, it was seen as a woman who was no longer able to release the ‘bad humors’ or the Victorian view that linked it to hysteria, both causes of madness. In more recent history, symptoms of menopause have largely been dismissed or treated as mental manifestations. Women have been invisible as they aged out of their childbearing years, instead of being seen as valuable and wise.
Finally! Time and energy are being spent educating women. Why now? I think the current generation of women doctors themselves have reached this stage and said Enough is enough!
Reclaiming our identity and power in midlife
We must leave the invisibility associated with our aging in the past and lean into our power. This is a big shift from how we have been conditioned to feel about midlife. Many of my friends and I have felt a pull to give fewer *ucks. We are embracing our authentic selves and no longer falling into petty dramas around us. Does this feel familiar to you? Originally, we thought it was a result of the inward turn we all took during the COVID lockdown, and that may be part of it. However, we were also beginning to experience perimenopause and a shift in priorities as we started our journey down the wise woman road.
We need to turn our self-judgement into self-reflection and break the mold. Journaling can be incredibly effective in helping us tackle feelings and gain a better understanding of where we are. Try one of these journal prompts:
How do you define wisdom at this age?
What feels possible now that wasn’t before?
What have you let go of during this season?
Take a moment to close your eyes and meditate on it, then set a timer for 5 minutes and write whatever comes to mind. I find it helpful to set a timer, and I think you’ll be surprised how quickly the time goes once you start writing!
As to the third question: What have you let go of during this season? I’ve found a simple cord-cutting ritual to be tremendously healing.
Cord Cutting Ritual
Energetic cord cutting is a method to release emotional ties that no longer serve your growth. You can use a cord-cutting ritual to protect your energy, heal from past relationships, let go of lingering resentment, and pave the way for new, healthier connections.1
Cord-cutting can be used to process and release past experiences and foster emotional growth, and I have found it to be very healing.
One effective way involves visualization. Find a comfortable position, sitting or lying down. Close your eyes and focus on the situation/feelings that you need to let go of. Then visualize a cord. For me, the visualization comes to me as a rope. Here, in your mind’s eye, imagine either physically cutting the rope or watching it unwind and fall to the ground. When you are ready, gently open your eyes again. How do you feel?
If we take the time to reframe our thinking to this time of life as being freeing, a shedding of our old skin in preparation for the new ahead, then we will look at walking the wise woman road as an adventure to treasure, and not a phase of life to dread. What challenges have you found during this time? Feel free to comment; I’d love to discuss and stand with you.
If you missed any of the related posts from this series, you can go back and find them below. Thank you for joining me!
Until next time,
Hello friend! My name is Amy. I am so happy you have stopped by ✨ If you are new here, a warm welcome to you! This space is where I meander through midlife, connecting to my true self through the seasonal shifts and simpler living, and seeking my inner wise woman. If you are also on this path and looking for someone to walk gently beside you, I see you and am here. Let’s color outside the lines together.